Michael Landon and his Little House crew from the Little House Phenomenon documentary. | Little House on the Prairie Cast Filmography

We all know Michael Landon as the legendary actor, but his greatest role was being a father of 9 children. And here’s what happened to them and how they were raised under their iconic dad's wing. | AmoMama Nostalgia

In 1959, at just 22 years old, Michael Landon landed his first leading television role as Little Joe Cartwright on *Bonanza*, one of the earliest series to be broadcast in color. He starred alongside Lorne Greene, Pernell Roberts, and Dan Blocker. By its sixth season (1964–1965), *Bonanza* had climbed to the top of the Nielsen ratings and held the number-one spot for three consecutive years. Landon received more fan mail than any other member of the cast, and leveraging his popularity, he succes